ABS Virgin!!!

[yaris-intuit]

With the purchase of my 2007 Yaris Hatchback, I will enter the world of ABS. I've heard others described their "first time" the ABS activated on other types of vehicles and it scared the hell out of them, what with all the strange noises and weird pulses under the brake pedal.

Winter is coming soon to Calgary (don't laugh, it has snowed in August here) and I was wondering if others would mind sharing what their experiences with the ABS on the Yaris is like? i.e. does it make a massive amount of noise? Do you really have to push super hard on the brake, etc?

Also, what does EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) do?

[Boo]

You lucky guy got ABS... I think Yaris is my first brand new car without ABS. Actually there is nothing special about it.. It just feels like someone is pumping the brake paddle, and it shouldn't be loud. You can just feel it on the paddle.
EBD will increase the brake pressure when it finds you are doing some emergency braking.. So you will be stop faster, and save you from hitting.

[ECHOKnight2000]

Originally Posted by yaris-intuit

With the purchase of my 2007 Yaris Hatchback, I will enter the world of ABS. I've heard others described their "first time" the ABS activated on other types of vehicles and it scared the hell out of them, what with all the strange noises and weird pulses under the brake pedal.

Winter is coming soon to Calgary (don't laugh, it has snowed in August here) and I was wondering if others would mind sharing what their experiences with the ABS on the Yaris is like? i.e. does it make a massive amount of noise? Do you really have to push super hard on the brake, etc?

Also, what does EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) do?

ABS varies from car to car and as time goes on it becomes more evolved if you want to say, as far as the technology goes...ABS is nice, I don't have it in my car but the Corolla (my sister owns now) we had as a family had it and ABS was helpful, but remember its an assist so that means it doesn't make you invincible, although it gives the feeling you are. Obviously there comes a point when the laws of nature over come ABS, obviously I'm talking about snow but even in the rain as well and maybe dry pavement. But don't get me wrong its nice to have, it just helps you steer your way out of a situation. I'd say during winter go to a parking lot and mess around with it, of course don't get too overboard but you know within reason, get the feel of it, test it out! Good luck!!

[MWill517]

I do not have ABS on my yaris, the one memorable experience I do have of ABS is a good one. I attended a JEEP/Chrysler 101 event. I had the pleasure of driving a 300M with ABS. There was a Chrysler personel passenger with me who instructed me what to do on a road course. The first thing I was told is to "Floor it!! give it all you can till I tell you to brake, and when I say brake, stand on them!!" So that is what I did ...Burning rubber and slamming on the brakes in a brand new car that wasnt mine and wooo hooo that was fun!! The whole road course was awesome. Back to the brakes, I felt it pulse under foot, never slid or lost control, only chirped to a halt. Perfect!! (Keep in mind this was in a controlled enviroment)

[casterqc]

Don't be scared of abs brakes, it is a great tool if used properly.

In professional driving, braking is rated on 10. 1 is the lowest pressure you can put on the brakes, 9 is the maximum pressure you put on the brakes without losing control, 10 is so high that you don't have any control on your wheels.

The compagnies noticed with time that in unexepected situations, when the average driver is placed in a situation where he as to stop quick to avoid an obstacle (accident), he usualy push the brakes at its highest, he kicks the brakes (result of stress). Without abs, that reaction will make your vehicle brake at 10.

At 10, the wheel stop turning, so you lose the opportunity to change the direction of the vehicle with your sterring wheel...in most cases that means you will hit the obstacle your trying to avoid...unless your lucky enought to have enought distance to stop before that obstacle, depending on the speed your are doing, the type (asphalt, rocks) and condition (rain, snow) the road is, and the quality of your tires.

Braking at the highest without losing control of your vehicle in an unexpected situation needs professional skills and a lot of training...this is the main reason why abs brakes were created.

With abs brakes, you will never lose control of your sterring wheel...that will allow you to change the direction of your vehicle and avoid the obstacle...because the wheel will never completly stop turning. This fact can easily be noticed in snow conditions.

But there is one important thing. To benefit of the full potential of any abs brake system, you must push the brakes as hard as you can in an urgent situation.

I suggest you to test your brakes in an empty parking lot...so at least you will know how your car reacts when braking. The human body is impressive, it remembers a lot of thing...and when that unexpected time will come...your body will know what to do.

Drive safe.

[mrlam]

ABS is highly recommend in Calgary(you guys have more up hill and down hill roads than us). And remember to switch winter tires which help a lot too.

[riceboy]

Just remember not to let off the pedal once it starts vibrating... and remember that it doesn't necessarily allow you to stop any faster.. but it does allow you to point the vehicle so you can avoid dangerous situations..

[captainzerocool]

Ummmmm.... ABS isn't THAT great.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=2006

[Katana]

Τhe main problem with the ABS is that sometimes, when the road is extremely slippery, it kind of ''stucks'' and does not provide any brake pressure at all.When that happens, you have to press again the brake, to receive the brake effect.

[Andrew Chalmers]

well the Oslo taxi driver study deals with risk compensation... the argument can be made against airbags, seatbelts, windshields...

if there are no windshields, seatbelts and a driver is sure to die in a collision (install a shotgun shell in the steering wheel that fires upon any sort of bumper braking impact) - drivers would be safer.

[Jem_hadar]

Originally Posted by Katana

Τhe main problem with the ABS is that sometimes, when the road is extremely slippery, it kind of ''stucks'' and does not provide any brake pressure at all.When that happens, you have to press again the brake, to receive the brake effect.

Ive noticed that I felt I stopped faster when I press again the brake, rather than just leave my foot consistently pushed as far down to the floor it will go while the ABS does its jobs

That said, i believe ABS serves an important purpose, so i have it on my car, im not prepared to give up on it. id have to read ALOT more litterature that refuted the benefits of it and confirmed in fact the dangers of abs vs. cars that dont have it.

Jem

[Katana]

Υeap maybe we have to press two times to get it right.

[casterqc]

Originally Posted by Katana

Υeap maybe we have to press two times to get it right.

What happened is that when you hit the brakes the first time you did'nt push as hard as you should have...then when you noticed that you simply pushed the brakes harder on the second attemp to make the abs work.

Or...you felt that your brakes were "stuck" on abs...then it simply means it was working, it means that at the same pressure your car would have been slipping without abs.

What Riceboy said is true:" it doesn't necessarily allow you to stop any faster.. but it does allow you to point the vehicle so you can avoid dangerous situations.." and he is absolutly right when he says:"Just remember not to let off the pedal once it starts vibrating"

Abs brakes would'nt exist if you had to press two times to get it right.

[casterqc]

Oh! and since we're speaking about braking...

Another important thing to check to make sure your car will brake properly is your tire pressure. During summer, I would say you should take a look at it once a month. But during winter, take a look at it once a week, because if it is getting colder outside, it means your tires will lose pressure.

If you take a good look around you on the road you will see that many people are probably only verifying their tire pressure when they're changing their tires ...twice a year!

[Katana]

Originally Posted by casterqc

What happened is that when you hit the brakes the first time you did'nt push as hard as you should have...then when you noticed that you simply pushed the brakes harder on the second attemp to make the abs work.

Or...you felt that your brakes were "stuck" on abs...then it simply means it was working, it means that at the same pressure your car would have been slipping without abs.

What Riceboy said is true:" it doesn't necessarily allow you to stop any faster.. but it does allow you to point the vehicle so you can avoid dangerous situations.." and he is absolutly right when he says:"Just remember not to let off the pedal once it starts vibrating"

Abs brakes would'nt exist if you had to press two times to get it right.

What you say is correct, but I have already owned 3 cars equipped with ABS and I am familiar with the vibration feeling.In n case I would let off the brake because it is vibrating.

At that incident, the brakes were not working, because I was driving with 40km/h and in my opinion such a speed is easily reduced if the brakes are working.In fact, I drove a second time at this road and the same thing happened.Between these 2 attempts, I also braked at another road, to make sure that my brakes were actually working(e.t. low break liquid).I am sure that in a way, the ABS is kind of confused when these special circumstances occur.

[riceboy]

Originally Posted by Jem_hadar

Ive noticed that I felt I stopped faster when I press again the brake, rather than just leave my foot consistently pushed as far down to the floor it will go while the ABS does its jobs

That said, i believe ABS serves an important purpose, so i have it on my car, im not prepared to give up on it. id have to read ALOT more litterature that refuted the benefits of it and confirmed in fact the dangers of abs vs. cars that dont have it.

Jem

The ABS is an Antilock Braking System, it should only be engaged when you don't have enough time to stop (generally in slippery/wet conditions). During daily driving you should be leaving yourself enough time to safely slow down and stop.

[Jem_hadar]

Originally Posted by riceboy

The ABS is an Antilock Braking System, it should only be engaged when you don't have enough time to stop (generally in slippery/wet conditions). During daily driving you should be leaving yourself enough time to safely slow down and stop.

Very true, but in the winter ive come up to some stop signs with a little too much speed once or twice when the roads were far more icey than id figured they were around the stop sign area, and had to break hard, which is why it kicked in, out of my fear of entering onto a busy street

[riceboy]

Sorry I thought you were testing out the ABS within the past week...